Contribution of poultry farm practice to the structure and composition of bacterial communities in the soil of poultry farms in Lagos, Nigeria

Journal article

Background: Poultry farming practices can impact soil health by altering its microbial and organic composition. On one hand, this could improve soil fertility, but on the other, it may pose health risks to humans and the environment. In this study, we assessed the microbial community structure and composition of poultry litter impacted soil in poultry farms in Lagos Nigeria. Methods: Composite soil samples were collected from two farms (PF01A and PF02B) in a poultry estate and from a pristine environment (CTR) without farming activity. Metagenomic analysis was performed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. Results: The most abundant phyla in poultry-impacted soils were Firmicutes (54–69%), Bacteroidetes (18–19%), and Actinobacteria (3–17%), with a low relative abundance of Proteobacteria (7%). In contrast, CTR soil was dominated by the phylum Proteobacteria (30%) and had a low relative abundance of Bacteroidetes (2%). Bacteria strains, including Jeotgalibaca arthritidis, Lysinibacillus jejuensis, and the novel species Enterococcus lemanii and Enterococcus eurekensis, were among dominant taxa in PF01A and PF02B.Some dominant bacterial species such as Corynbacterium xerosis and Ignatzschineria indica have been implicated in human infections and are known to be multidrug resistant. Conclusion: In this study, a high abundance of bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were found in soil from poultry farms. The presence of poultry litter significantly changed the composition of the bacterial community in the soil. This alteration did not only affect the microbial structure and health of the soil, it also increased the presence of clinically important bacteria, which could pose potential risks to public health.

Authors: Ajayi, A; Adewale, B; Osuolale, K; Chukwu, E; Utibeima, EU

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: BioMed Central
• Journal: BMC Environmental Science
• Volume: 2
• Issue: 1
• Article number: 3
• Publication date: 2025-01-23
• Acceptance date: 2024-12-19
• DOI: 10.1186/s44329-024-00015-1
• EISSN: 3004-8710
• Language: English
• Keywords: Poultry; Bacterial pathogens; Microbiome; Public health; Environment; Soil